Ditching-machine.



No. 633,402I Patented Sept. I9, i899. Tv. THOMAS. mTcHlm; Mamma.-

(Application led June 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2` (No Nudel) NITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS THOMAS, OF ROANOKE, LOUISIANA.

DlTCHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,402, datedSeptember 19, 1899.

Application filed June '7, 1899. Serial No. V719,710. (No model.)

Be it known that I, THOMAS THOMAS, a citizen ot' the United States,residing at. Roanoke, in the parish of Galcasieu and State of Louisiana,have invented a new and useful Ditching-Machine, of which thefollowingis a speciiication.

This invention relates to ditching-machines; and it has for its objectto provide such a machine comprising a vehicle whichv may be readilydrawn in its operation and which will turn a furrow and after so doingwill scoop up the dirt and convey it transversely of the furrow anddeposit it in a line as the machine advances.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiticientstructure of the `scooping and conveying means and also mechanism foradjusting the parts of the machine correlatively. v,

The invention consists offa Vehicle having a bed or frame from which areextended sup-v porting-beams carrying an adjustable ditching andconveying mechanism, the vehicle' having suitable supporting-wheels,through the medium of which it maybe readily drawn alongthe line ot' theditch and will effectively dig out the ditch and deposit the dirt at aSuitable point. In the drawings forming a portion ot' th specific-ation,and in which similar numerals of reference designate similar parts inboth views, Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine. Fig. 2lis a sectionon line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the furrow-turning plow being' shown in fulllines.

Referring now to the drawings, this machine consists of a vehiclecomprising side sills 5 and 6 and end pieces 7 and S, a transverse bracei) being arranged intermediate the end pieces. Mounted upon the sill 5are uprights lO and 11, having suitable braces 12, said uprights beingseparated by an interspace, in which is loosely seated a beam 13,extending outwardly and beyond the sill 5 at one end, the other endlying transversely of the frame and beyond the sill G, passing throughan interspace between .uprights 1t and 15 upon the sill (i. In order toprevent longitudinal movement of the beam 13, I form transverse openings17 adjacent the rear end thereof, and through which openings is adaptedto pass a retaining bolt or pin 1S, which bolt may be arranged at eitherside of the uprights 1-1 and l5 to bear thereagainst, or, if desired,one of said bolts may be disposed at each side ot said uprights.Connected with the end of the beam 13, projecting beyond the sill andextending upwardly therefrom at an obtuse angle thereto is a support 19,which carries, in connection with a transverse support 20, connectedwith the same end ot' the beam 13, a track 21, which track is bent intosuch a position that its inner portion adjacent the sill 5 will lie atsubstantially right angles to the outer portion, the intermediateportions fading gradually from one limit to the other.

Journaled in a bearing 22 on the beam 13 and slidable with respect tosaid bearing is a shaft 23, which extends upwardly and inwardly at anacute angle to said beam, the upper end of said shaft having a bearingalso at the outer end of a brace 24, extending upwardly and outwardlyand in a vertical plane with the beam 13. The upper end of the shaft 23is threaded, as shown at 25, for the reception of a retaining-nut 25,which holds the said shaft against downward movement with respect to thebeam 13 and brace 24C.

At the lower end of the shaft 23 and below the track 21 is fixed a wheelcomprising a rim 27 and spokes 28, which latter lead to a retaining-hub29, which lat-ter is mounted directly upon said shaft and is heldagainst longitudinal displacement by means ot'ia retaining-,nut 30,engaging the screw-threaded end of the shaft.

Hingedly connected with the upper edge of the rim 27jis a series ofshovels or scoops 31, which are adapted to lie parallel with the face ofthe wheel at times and to be moved on their hinge connections topositions substantially at right angles to the plane of said wheel, theouter edges of said shovels being curved slightly upwardly, as shown at32, and

projecting beyond the periphery of the wheel when said shovels are in aposition parallel with the face of the latter.

The wheel comprising the rim 27 is adapted for movement with the shaft23, and in order to gradually move the shovels from their recliningpositions to their upright positions in their travel from a pointadjacent the vehicleframe to the outer limit of their movement I IOOform a lug 33 upon the upper face of each shovel and adjacent its inneredge, in which lug is mounted the axle 34 of a roller 35, projecting ina plane parallel with the upper surface of the shovel and extendingtherefrom a suitable distance to cause the periphery of said roller tovengage the track 21. It is of course understood that the track 21 isstationary, and hence if the shovelcarrying wheel be rotated to move therollers 35 along the track said track will have the eifect of graduallylifting the roller ends of the shovels to move said shovels successivelyinto vertical positions and then to allow them to assume their originalpositions. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the track 2l lies closeto the face of the shovel-carrying wheel at that portion adjacent to thevehicle, while the other edge of said track, lying at substantiallyright angles to the inner portion 21, is separated from the adjacentportion of the rim 27 by an interspace substantially equal i to thedistance from the hinge of a shovel to the edge of the latter, adjacentwhich the roller is journaled, as clearly shown in Fig.

v2 of the drawings.

In order to prevent outward movement of the rollers 35 from thesubstantially vertical portion of the track 21, a supplemental track 36is arranged parallel with the outer portion of the track 21 and is heldin place by means of a brace 37, connected therewith and extending toand connected with the brace 19,

Aadditional braces 38 being connected with the adjacent end of thesupplemental track 36 and with the track 21.

In order to prevent material upon the shovels passing rearwardlythereof, the rear ends of said shovels are curved upwardly, as shown at39, forming backs for the shovels and acting as stops for the dirt.

Extending from the rear end of the supplemental track 36 is a brace 40,which projects outwardly over the path of the shovel and is connectedwith an apron or guard, which is curved to conform to the curvature ofthe outer edges of the shovels in their adjusted positions at the rearside of their carryingwheel, said apron being extended from the inneredge of the wheel to connect with the moldboard 42 of a plow 43, carriedby an upright 44, extending downwardly from the cross-piece 9. This plow43 is disposed substantially midway of the sills 5 and 6 and is adaptedto engage the earth to make a furrow, the moldboard 42 thereof turningthe dirt over and upon the shovels 31, the dirt being guided in itspassage upon the shovels by the apron or guard 45, above referred to.

The shovels in their movement with their carryingwheel travel upwardlyand outwardly and are gradually tilted, as before eX- plained, the saidguard 45 acting to prevent the dirt sliding from the shovels before itreaches the brace 40, which is at a point substantially at the outerlimit of movement of the shovel.

the guard.

The shovels in their engagement with the dirt from the plow 43 travel ina direction opposite to that of movement of the vehicle, this movementof the shovels being given through the medium ofa bevel-gear 50, splinedupon the shaft 23 and having a collar 51, through which is passed aset-screw 52, adapted to prevent longitudinal movement of said gear uponthe shaft and'to'hold the gear in different adjusted positions. Engagingthe gear is a second bevel-gear 53, carried by a shaft 54, slidablymountedin a bearing n on the upright 1l. This shaft 54 has splinedthereto a sprocket 55, carrying a chain 56, engaging a second sprocket57 upon the rear axle 58 of the vehicle. The axle 58 is journaled insuitable bearings 59 upon the sills 5 and 6, and carried by said axleand movable therewith are supporting-wheels 60, through the medium ofwhich the axle 58 will be rotated as the vehicle is moved. Additionalsupporting-wheels 61 are arranged at the opposite end of thevehicle-frame and may be mounted in any manner upon an axle 62, carriedby the frame.

The guard 45 is removably connected with the moldboard 42 of the plowthrough the medium of bolts 64 and attaching-nuts 65, adapted to engageany pair of a series of pairs of perforations 65 in the adjacent ends ofIn order to raise and lower the shovels and their connecting mechanisms,the loose arrangement of the beam 13 between the uprights on the sillsis provided and in order to prevent the rear end of the beam 13 fromrising, due to the weight of the shovels and their mechanisms, astep-block 66 is provided, which is adapted to enter the interspacesbetween the uprights 14 and 15 and to engage with its proper step across-bar 67, passed through said uprights. To raise the shovel end ofthe beam 13, I have pivotally mounted upon the upright 10 a lever 68,the work end of which is pivotally connected with the beam 13 throughthe medium of a link 68, the ends of which are connected directly withthe lever 68 at one end and with an eye 69, secured to the beam. Thus itwill be seen that in order to adjust the step-block 66 the upwardpressure of the beam 13 thereagainst may be relieved by downwardpressure upon the lever 68, which action shifts the fulcrum of said beamto the eye 69. The block 66 may be then withdrawn to a lower step or maybe pushed farther forward to a higher step, as desired. Before theupward movement of the outer end of the beam 13 it is of coursenecessary to shift the bevel-gear 50 downwardly upon the shaft 23, whichshifting may be performed after the set-screw 52 has been loosened. Ifthe block 66 be then adjusted to a higher step to hold the shovel end ofthe beam at' a higher elevation, the bevel-gear 50 will be shifted to apoint below its previous rotation, while its periphery will projectinwardly in the direction of the vehicle-frame to a point beyond itsprevious loo IIO

projection. This will necessitate a corresponding retrograde movement ofthe bevelgear 53, and to provide for this movement the slidablc mountingof the shaft 54 in its bearing 53 is arranged, the spline connections ofthe sprocket 55 with said shaft enabling the maintenance of saidsprocket in alinement with the spocket 57. The shaft 54 being slidablyjournaled, it is of course necessary to prevent accidental movement ofsaid shaft to draw the gear 53 away from the gear 50, and this Iaccomplish by encircling the shaft intermediate said gear and thesprocket 55 with a helical spring 70, which bears at opposite endsagainst the adjacent 'faces of said gear and sprocket. Thus it will beseen that Vthe gear 53 will adjust itself readily to the position of thegear 50 in its diierent positions upon the shaft 23.

A tie-bar 7l is connected with the outer end of the brace 19 and withthe brace 24 to prevent outward movement of said brace 19, which latteris secured to the beam 13 by means of a transverse bolt 73, which latterforms a means of attachment of the outer end 74 of adjustable bracescomprising elements 75 and 76, of which elements 7G have their rear endspivotally connected to ears 77, carried hy the sills 6. The adjustmentof the elements 75 and 7G is secured through the medium of a series ofperforations carried by the overlapping ends of said elements and whichare adapted to aline and to receive a retaining-bolt 7S.

It will thus be seen that in the movement ofthe vehicle in a directionto cause the plow 43 to cut a furrow the dirt from said plow will bedeposited upon the shovels 3l as they successively pass through thatportion of their paths at the limit of their inward movements, whichsaid shovels will be gradually tilted, and that when they have passedbeyond the guard 45 they will deposit their contents in a continuousline. it will also be seen that the mechanism may be adjusted verticallyfor various conditions of use and that the entire mechanism presents acheap and effective construction which may be easily operated with aminimum of energy applied.

Suitable draft appliances of any style may -be provided for the vehicle,whether it be drawn by horses or other power, and it will be readilyunderstood that the apparatus may be employed for any purpose f or whichit is adapted and that the specic construction and arrangement hereinshown and described may be varied without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described the invention7 what is claimed isl. Aditching-machine, comprising a vehicle, a plow carried by the vehicle, arotatable shovel-carrier carried by the vehicle, a plurality of shovelspivoted upon the carrier and adapted to move adjacent to said plow andreceive dirt therefrom, a track engaging the shovels and adapted to tiltthem, a supplemental track adapted for engagement by the shovels toreturn them, and means for rotating the carrier.

2. A ditching-machine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a plurality of shovels pivotally and rotatably mounted adjacentthe plow, aguard connected with the plow and extending part way aroundthe shovels and adapted to guide the material from the plow to and holdit upon 'the shovels'from their point of reception to their point ofdischarge of dirt, and means for rotating the shovels.

A ditching-machine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a rotatable shovel-carrier carried by the vehicle, a pluralityof shovels pivoted upon said carrier and adapted to move adjacent saidplow and receive dirt therefrom, means for engaging said shovels to tiltthem, means for engagement by the shovels to return them and means forrotating the carrier.

4. A ditching-machine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a rotatable shovel-carrier carried by the vehicle, a pluralityof shovels pivoted upon said carrier and adapted'to move adjacent saidplow and receive dirt therefrom, a continuous track adjacent the path ofsaid shovels, means carried by the shovels in constant engagement withthe track to tilt the shovels, a supplemental track for returning theshovels and means for rot-ating the carrier.

5. Aditching-mahine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a rotatable shovel-carrier carried by the vehicle and adaptedto rotate in a plane at an angle to the plane o't travel of the plow, aplurality of shovels pivoted upon said carrier and adapted to moveadjacent said plow and receive dirt therefrom, a track adjacent the pathof said shovels, a roller journaled upon each shovel and engaging thetrack to tilt the shovel, a supplementary track adapted to tilt theshovels in opposite directions, means for guiding the material from theplow to the shovels and for retaining the material thereon Jfor aportion of the rotation of each shovel, and means for ro 'rating thecarrier.

6. A ditching-machine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a rotatable shovel-carrier adjustably connected with thevehicle, means for holding said carrier at different points in itsadjustment, a plurality of shovels pivotally connected with the carrierand adapted to move adjacent said plow and receive dirt therefrom, asupporting-frame for said carrier, a guide c onnected with the plow andextending adjacent the periphery of the carrier to prevent displacementof material 'from the shovels, and adjustable means for rotating thecarrier.

7. A ditching-machine comprising a vehicle, a plow connected with thevehicle, a supporting-frame adj ustably connected with the vehicle andadapted for longitudinal and pivotal adjustment with respect thereto, ashaft IIC journaled in said frame, a rotatable shovelearrier mounted onsaid shaft, shovels earried by said carrier and adapted for movementadjacent the plow to reeeive material therefrom, means for tilting saidshovels, means for returning said shovels to their former positions, andadjustable means for rotating the carrier.

8. A ditching-machine comprising a vehi-v face of the carrier when atthe inner limit of their movement, a track engaging said rollers andadapted to move them with their shovels into a tilted -position, asupplemental track engaging said rollers and adapted to limit theoutward movement thereof an'd move them initially to lie parallel withthe face of the carrier, a plow carried by the vehicle, and a guardadjustahly connected with the plow and extending adjacent theshovel-carrier and adapted to guide material from the plow to theshovels and retain it upon the shovels throughout a portion of themovement of the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS THOMAS.

Witnesses:

F. F. MORSE, W. B. ANDERSON.

